Sanguine Reign
by angelfallenspirit
Summary: After witnessing the death of Shao Kahn, a grief-stricken, furious Skarlet gains control of the hourglass. As she works to change major events with her new God-like powers, new allies emerge and old foes fall. But it becomes only a matter of time before Raiden and the others discover that something isn't right. (Based on Skarlet's ending in MK11.)
1. Chapter 1 - Broken Promise

**This is my very first Mortal Kombat fanfiction so reviews are greatly appreciated!**

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Red. The sky was red. Red like warm, life-giving blood. The rufous shades gave way to faint pinks and later pale blues, surrendering themselves to the sky as the sun continued to rise. The horizon had given up on its goal of trying to keep its vibrant reddish hues, but Skarlet had not given up on hers.

She forced herself across the desert, dragging her injured body across the arid Outworld wasteland to where she knew Shao Kahn and his army had ventured off to without her. Nevermind the fact that she had lost to Kitana earlier. Deep down, Skarlet knew that her master would succeed where she herself had failed, killing both the princess and Kotal for good. The thought kept her going as she pushed onward, her wounds slowly healing as she walked.

Her mind raced with thoughts of elation as she soon realized she was close to her destination. She thought back to the promises Kronika had made. A New Era was just within reach, one without Kotal aiming for Outworld's throne. Shao Kahn would rule over all, and his reign would be glorious. Glorious!

A smile spread across her masked face as she made her way to the colosseum. She could hear the cheers of the crowd as she approached, still rowdy and eager as ever for blood to be shed. Guess Shao Kahn hadn't killed Kotal yet. Her smile widened as she spotted two Tarkatan warriors standing at the doors, guarding the colosseum entrance like the faithful servants they were.

Her grin vanished, however, when instead of granting Skarlet access, they blocked her from the doors with their blades. She immediately stopped in her tracks, her defensive instincts kicking in.

"What is the meaning of this?!" she demanded. Her voice filled with frustration. "Open these doors immediately!"

However, the Outworld creatures did not back down like she expected them to.

"Kitana has offered us better promises, Skarlet," one said.

The mere mention of the Edenian princess' name sent a bolt of fury through Skarlet, and the Tarkatan's words only served to increase her rage. Her hands shook as they clenched into fists. "You betray the one true Kahn?!" she asked. "After everything you've done for him?!"

The second guard boldly stepped forward. "We Tarkatans will no longer be mere slaves."

Skarlet gritted her teeth. The nerve of these ignorant beasts! "I have no time for this folly." With one hand, she unsheathed one of her daggers. "Step aside," she commanded, her tone icy cold.

Without waiting to see if either of them would comply she bolted for the doors, eager to reunite with her master. But one of the Tarkatan's fists collided with her face before she could make it, sending her sprawling back to the ground. Further enraged, she rose back to her feet and swung, slicing the skin of the one warrior who'd punched her to produce a deep wound. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the second Tarkatan preparing to strike her with his blade. She had no time for this. She needed to get to Shao Kahn.

In a flash, she turned and stabbed the Tarkatan behind her repeatedly, burying her dagger into his flesh as she pulled the warm,red blood from the other with a mere twitch of her fingers. Skarlet couldn't help but grin upon hearing the warrior's sounds of struggle as its blood collected in her palm. She'd been eager for the taste of new blood for a long time now. She supposed this would have to do for the time being.

She ripped her knife out of her opponent in a downward motion, deepening the wound. The Tarkatan doubled over in pain, clutching at the bleeding gash in his chest. Skarlet revelled in his expression of agony, all the while feeling her strength slowly increase as parts of her skin were soaked in the warrior's blood. Such a beautiful sight. With another twitch of her fingers, the red orb floating above her empty hand morphed into a crimson spike. She waved her arm at the Tarkatan warrior, impaling him in the head. He groaned audibly as she walked over to the warrior. She already could tell that this fight was over. She had won. With her empty blood-soaked hand, she grabbed hold of the bloody spike and stared the Tarkatan in the face.

"Perhaps your kind will learn to be more loyal to Shao Kahn in the New Era," she murmured softly, the tone of her accented voice serving as a warning. Without waiting for a response, she drove the rest of the spike through the creature's skull. The Tarkatan limply fell back as Skarlet let him go, letting him drop to the ground. He landed with a quiet thud against the sand, silent and motionless as death came and took him.

Pleased with herself, Skarlet smiled as she sheathed her dagger before making her way over to the large double doors. She pushed with all her might, but was met with resistance. Locked. The blood warrior huffed in annoyance. Great, another obstacle. At this rate she would surely miss whatever spectacle was going on inside. She took a moment to consider her alternative choices. No point in going around to try the other doors. She did not wish to deal with any more rogue Tarkatan guards. Only one option left…

She walked back out into the sunlight, and before long she mustered up her strength and ran straight at the wall. When she was close she jumped, quickly grabbing hold of any stones she could. After ensuring she had a solid hold, she began to climb.

The colosseum had been masterfully built by the Naknada. It was immense, towering over the vast expanse of the wasteland. But the towering height did little to deter Skarlet as she scaled the stone wall effortlessly.

Her thoughts were racing, as clamorous and chaotic as the crowd inside. She couldn't wait to finally witness the carnage, to watch the blood of the pretentious Kotal be spilled and see the battered remains of his brain and skull cover the colosseum floor. The thoughts once again invigorated her, causing her to climb faster and faster until she finally got to an opening near the top. Panting for breath, she smiled and pulled herself up.

But when she peered over the ledge she froze. Her master was not standing triumphantly over a battered and bloody Kotal like she'd hoped. No, the one who was standing tall over Shao Kahn was-

Skarlet realized too late what was happening as Kitana raised one of her bladed fans. She wanted to scream, but the words were caught in her throat. She reached out a hand in desperation.

No!

Kitana swung, slicing open Shao Kahn's throat. Blood began to pool on the sandy ground beneath him, but the sight of it brought Skarlet no joy. Just like that, it was all over. Outworld's mighty emperor had fallen in the very arena where countless Earthrealm warriors' lives had been taken by his own hands.

This couldn't be happening. There was no way this could be real, and yet…

A howl of pure anguish left Skarlet as she clung to the stone ledge, but her cries were drowned out by the clamor of the crowd.

Their exuberance made her blood boil. Idiots! How was this cause for a celebration?! Outworld was about to be claimed by that bastard Kotal. He didn't deserve the throne!

No, he was still on the ground, severely wounded and now he was pointing a finger at… Kitana?!

_Kitana_ was going to be Kahn?!

"No...NO!" Skarlet's world turned blurry as tears began to well up in her eyes. Her sobs grew louder as she spectators began to chant Kitana's name over and over. Their jubilation rang in her ears, each scream seemingly wounding her further. Her chest ached; it felt like her heart had been torn mercilessly from her chest. The rough stones scratched her fingers as her hands trembled furiously. This was wrong, all wrong!

"Not worthy. Not worthy!" she shrieked. Why couldn't the people see that this traitor did not deserve the throne?! But nobody listened to her cries - they were lost both to the wind and the voices of hundreds who were ready to welcome a new era.

A new era that Kronika didn't promise.


	2. Chapter 2 - Torrent

**Hello everyone! I'm so happy that so many people have grown interested in this story. It really means a lot to someone like me who's new to the Mortal Kombat fandom. As always, I'm always happy to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave a review when you're done reading!**

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_Liar..._

The word repeated itself in Skarlet's mind as she trudged across the wasteland with no set destination. Every repetition felt like a stab in her chest, and that feeling had become all she could focus on. For the second time in her life, she was truly alone.

The realization weighed heavily on her mind. Every step was a struggle. Only her neverending anger towards Kronika kept her going.

This wasn't fair! Kronika had promised victory. She promised that she'd help Shao Kahn reclaim his throne. And now all of a sudden she decided to just throw him away?!

**_Liar…_**

Kitana, Jade, the Tarkatans, Kronika. Traitors to Shao Kahn, all of them.

Skarlet's fists trembled as her rage continued to rise. Her anger was like a raging inferno, unable to be extinguished. And this uncontrollable fury mixed with immense grief and confusion soon became too much for the blood warrior to handle. Her head was pounding as she stopped in her tracks, letting out another scream of pure anguish at the darkening sky.

She dropped to her knees as her shriek transformed into quiet sobs. Tears began to stream down her face once again. Without Shao Kahn, what purpose did she have? He was the one who pulled her from the gutter all those years ago, but who would pull her from this torment of overwhelming emotions she now felt?

But soon, Skarlet gritted her teeth as she wiped the tears away. Crying? Shao Kahn would've called that pathetic. "Get ahold of yourself," she muttered under her breath. "You're not weak like Kitana." Slowly, she took a breath, and as her emotions began to settle she started to take in her surroundings.

The sound of crashing waves reached her ears first, and it wasn't long before she became more aware of the feeling of wet sand beneath her fingertips. Looking around, Skarlet could see that she was currently on the shore of a massive body of water, only the water wasn't a typical azure color. It was red. A beautiful, deep crimson red.. It didn't take long for Skarlet to realize exactly where she was.

She had made it to the Sea of Blood.

The blood warrior watched the rolling waves with fascination. There was something about the sea that immediately transfixed Skarlet as if it called out to her. She closed her eyes, concentrating deeply on the miles of churning red before her.

She could sense it; it was faint, but it was there. Deep within the crimson tide of the blood of countless damned souls, there was immense power. Power once possessed by thieves, magic users, and assassins all comingling together in the red waves over eons. It seemed to beckon Skarlet closer. She craved it.

With a smile, she peeled away her mask as she opened her eyes, gazing out towards the red water. It was calling her. She needed to feel it surround her, to feel the power surge into her body as she was submerged. Her shoulder armor and long gloves went next, tossed absent-mindedly to the sand behind her, followed by her boots. She continued to stare out toward the horizon as she slowly made her way to where the water met the sand.

The moment her bare foot dipped into the red sea she immediately felt the energy flow through her. Without any hesitation she continued, letting the blood envelop her up to her knees, then her waist, then all the way up to her chest. Closing her eyes, Skarlet's smile widened. The sensation of new strength from countless warriors flowing into her was so elating. It was euphoric, almost like a drug. She couldn't get enough.

She kept going, wading out as far as the siren song beckoned her. It wasn't long before Skarlet found herself far from the shoreline where she'd stood earlier. But the realization did not deter her. The red sea around her was cold, yet made her body feel so pleasantly warm.

After some time, she stopped to gaze at her surroundings as she tread water. The Blood Sea appeared to go on for miles, seemingly without end.

But something in the distance quickly caught her eye. It appeared to be an incredibly tall tower. Even though it was partially obscured by fog, it clearly stood out against the jagged rocks and roaring sea, especially with the azure blue orb resting near the top that glistened in the setting sunlight. The longer she stared at it, the more it intrigued her. It was so unlike anything Skarlet had seen in any of the realms. She knew she had to investigate.

She began to swim out towards it, her curiosity rising with every stroke of her arms. But she could feel the waves pushing against her, trying to shove her off course. The large swells washed over Skarlet, attempting to force her down beneath the red water. She kicked harder in response, trying to propel herself in the right direction. But the sea was relentless. Without warning, Skarlet found herself being dragged underneath, completely submerged beneath the crimson ocean.

She clung to the breath she was holding as she continued trying to break free to the surface again. But the sea continued to fight back, keeping Skarlet under. For a split second, fear shot through the blood warrior as she struggled to hold onto her breath. But almost immediately, another thought struck her- why struggle when she was currently surrounded by the very element she could control?

Quickly, Skarlet pushed herself back in the direction of the shoreline, using her magic to manipulate the waves and propel herself faster. There was no need to continue struggling towards the tower anymore, as much as it still intrigued her. It was still too far out, and right now she needed both rest and air.

Skarlet squeezed her eyes shut as she desperately tried to hold onto her breath. Her chest was aching. She was longing to feel the sandy shore beneath her as the waves hurled her forward at an alarming speed.

With a final lurch, she was finally launched out of the ferocious sea back onto dry land. Skarlet gasped loudly as she shakily crawled away from the red water, relieved by the sensation of air once again filling her lungs. She coughed, feeling the remaining drops of blood on her body seep into her skin, restoring and increasing her strength and drying her garments so they were as if she'd never taken the plunge in the first place.

A quiet chuckle soon reached her ears and she looked up, immediately meeting the rules of an ancient-looking man with a long gray beard.

The man smiled with a hint of amusement in his eyes as Skarlet met his gaze.

"I commend your effort, young one," he said. "But you won't be able to cross the Blood Sea that way." Still smiling kindly, he handed Skarlet the boots, gloves, and shoulder pieces she had discarded earlier. "I assume these are yours?"

Skarlet frowned as she rose, remaining defensive. She didn't recognize who this person was, and was prepared to attack if necessary. But she calmed down after a moment, realizing that he did not seem like much of a threat. Still, the blood warrior was cautious as she took the clothes away from the old man. She turned to look back out in the direction of the tower as she put her garments back on, noticing for a split second that he'd failed to find her mask. "What is out there?" Skarlet asked.

The old man's smile lessened slightly as his body seemed to stiffen. "Whatever do you mean?" he replied, the cheeriness quickly vanishing from his tone.

Skarlet grew frustrated. She could tell from the man's reaction that he knew what she was talking about. Boldly, she took a step closer to him. "I know what I saw. There was a tower out there in the distance. What's its purpose?"

"It serves as a guide for my ships," he responded, not meeting her eyes. "Nothing more."

Skarlet gritted her teeth as her anger abruptly reignited. "Liar!" she shouted. In the blink of an eye, she was at the man's throat, gripping his neck tightly while pointing one of her daggers at his chest. "Tell me the truth, or I'll drain the blood from your veins," she hissed.

The man's smile was gone now. "Even if I do, I won't ferry you out there. Your soul is tainted with evil." He flinched as Skarlet inched the blade closer, but his gravelly voice remained calm. "You cannot kill me, young one. I am immortal."

At those words, Skarlet's eyes lit up.

"Immortal?" Her lips twisted into a sadistic smile. "Your blood will prove interesting."

No sooner had she prepared herself to stab the man in front of her than a blinding light abruptly obscured Skarlet's vision. The blood warrior cried out in alarm as she released her hold on her victim and quickly shielded her eyes. All of a sudden, there was a voice.

"Mortal!" The female voice echoed across the coastline. "You will bring no harm to Kharon."

Gripping her dagger tightly, Skarlet cracked her eyes open. As the light's intensity began to die down, the assassin suddenly found herself face to face with a tall, ethereal woman hovering just slightly above the sand. She certainly appeared human at first glance, but her skin had a faint purplish hue, and her hair and clothes appeared to be completely made out of plants. A halo of bright green gems floated behind her head.

Skarlet recognized the woman immediately. "Cetrion…"

The elder god frowned as she descended. The moment her feet touched the sand, vibrant colorful flowers and healthy green grass began to spring up around her.

"I can sense your anguish, Skarlet," she said. "But lashing out at others will bring you no relief."

At her words, Skarlet couldn't help but grin. She quickly pocketed her dagger.

"Relief? I'm not looking for relief." Her smile widened as she pulled some of the red water towards her, quickly morphing it into a reaper's scythe. "I'm in need of exhilaration."

Cetrion didn't flinch as Skarlet pointed the scythe blade at her. "You threaten an elder god?"

"Only if you don't take me to see Kronika," Skarlet replied.

"You will demand nothing." Cetrion's voice increased in volume as she spoke, but her tone remained calm yet firm. "Stand down or risk forcing my hand."

Without warning, an intense wind picked up, swirling sand around both Skarlet and Cetrion. The blood warrior narrowed her eyes as she glared at the dirty. "Quit toying with me, goddess."

But Cetrion appeared surprised by what was happening. "This isn't my doing." She frantically glanced at her surroundings, as if searching for someone. "Mother?!"

"Calm yourself, Cetrion." Kronika's unmistakable voice echoed across the shore. "I'm willing to meet with her face-to-face."

In an instant, the strength of the wind intensified, roaring as it picked up so much sand that it became impossible for Skarlet to see anything in front of her. Only a few seconds seemed to pass before the whirlwind died back down, and it was then that Skarlet noticed she and Cetrion were no longer standing near the Sea of Blood. They were now in a massive room, with what appeared to be a giant hourglass resting in the middle.

And hovering next to this hourglass was it's very possessor herself - Kronika.

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**Again, thank you so much for reading! Feel free to leave a review.**

**The next chapter might take a while as I have personal stuff going on at the moment, but I hope to get back to work on this story once that has all passed.**


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